Articles of footwear including sole structures and rand

Abstract

Disclosed herein are articles of footwear including an upper, a plate including a first polyolefin resin, and a rand are disclosed herein. The rand is coupled with the surface of the upper, the surface of the plate, or both. The rand is more flexible or less rigid than the plate. Methods of making articles of footwear are also provided.

We claim: 
     
       1. An article of footwear comprising:
 an upper; 
 a plate comprising a first polyolefin resin, the plate having a first side and a second side and a perimeter, wherein the first side is configured to be ground-facing and ground-contacting, wherein a length of the plate is configured to extend from a toe region to a heel region of the article of footwear; and 
 a rand comprising a rand polymeric material that is different from the first polyolefin resin; 
 wherein the rand is operably coupled to at least a portion of the perimeter of the plate and at least a portion of the upper, 
 wherein the first polyolefin resin comprises a resin composition comprising:
 a polypropylene copolymer which is a random copolymer of ethylene and propylene having an ethylene repeat unit content of 1 percent to 5 percent based on the total weight of the polypropylene copolymer; and 
 an effective amount of a polymeric resin modifier is a copolymer comprising isotactic propylene repeat units and ethylene repeat units having an ethylene repeat unit content of 10 percent to 15 percent by weight based upon a total weight of the polymeric resin modifier, wherein the effective amount is 5 percent to 30 percent by weight based upon the total weight of the resin composition; and 
 the rand polymeric material comprises a polystyrene, a polyethylene, an ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, an ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), a polybutene, a polyisobutylene, a poly-4-methylpent-1-ene, a polyisoprene, a polybutadiene, an ethylene-methacrylic acid copolymer, a copolymer thereof, or a blend or mixture thereof. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand is disposed at least partially between the plate and the upper. 
     
     
       3. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand is disposed on an outer surface of the upper and on an outer surface of the plate. 
     
     
       4. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand is disposed about substantially the entire perimeter of the article of footwear. 
     
     
       5. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand is adhesively bonded to the plate, the upper, or both; or wherein the rand is thermally bonded to the plate, the upper, or both; or wherein the rand is mechanically bonded to the plate, the upper, or both. 
     
     
       6. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand has a thickness of about 1 millimeter to about 5 millimeters. 
     
     
       7. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand has a flexural modulus that is at least 10 percent lower than a flexural modulus of the plate. 
     
     
       8. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand attaches to the upper above a biteline formed at the junction of the perimeter of the plate and the upper. 
     
     
       9. The article of footwear of  claim 8 , wherein the rand has a height of about 1 millimeter to about 25 millimeters, as measured from the biteline to an upper edge of the rand. 
     
     
       10. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand polymeric material is a foamed material. 
     
     
       11. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first polyolefin resin comprises a polyolefin copolymer and an effective amount of a resin modifier. 
     
     
       12. The article of footwear of  claim 11 , wherein the rand polymeric material comprises a polymeric component that is substantially similar to the polymeric component of first polyolefin resin, except the polymeric component of the rand polymeric material comprises a greater concentration of polymeric resin modifier than the polymeric component of the first polyolefin resin. 
     
     
       13. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand polymeric material comprises an elastomeric material. 
     
     
       14. The article of footwear of  claim 13 , wherein the rand polymeric material comprises an olefin elastomer. 
     
     
       15. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the rand has at least one decorative portion that is colored or printed or both. 
     
     
       16. The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein a decorative textile or film is disposed on an exterior surface of the rand. 
     
     
       17. The article of footwear of  claim 15 , wherein a decorative textile or film is disposed on an interior surface of the rand, between the rand and the upper. 
     
     
       18. The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein the first side of the plate includes one or more traction elements. 
     
     
       19. The article of footwear of  claim 18 , wherein the one or more traction elements are integrally formed with the plate.